Georgetown, Guyana – The International Decade for People of African Descent Assembly-Guyana (IDPADA-G) has raised serious concerns over the government’s proposed amendments to the Acquisition of Lands for Public Purpose Act, calling the move a direct threat to landownership, particularly for African Guyanese communities with deep ties to ancestral lands.
The proposed Bill No. 16 of 2024, if passed, would give sweeping powers to a government minister to determine land ownership, seize property for “public purposes,” and establish compensation without consultation or public hearings. IDPADA-G described the bill as an “exploitative” measure that risks stripping vulnerable landowners, particularly those holding communal or ancestral lands, of their rights without opportunity for redress.
“This amendment must be sent to a Special Select Committee,” the organization stated in a press release, emphasizing the need for “careful review, transparency, and inclusive consultation.” IDPADA-G warned that without such oversight, the proposed amendments would disproportionately affect African Guyanese families who have occupied lands passed down through generations since Emancipation.
The group pointed to the historic significance of these lands, purchased or granted after 1839, noting that they are the legacy of forefathers who secured property for their descendants. “Ownership of the land by African Guyanese is not a matter of dispute,” the statement read. “What is required is political will to update documentation of ownership.”
IDPADA-G’s call for government accountability echoes longstanding frustrations among African Guyanese communities, where the unresolved issue of land titling continues to fuel distrust. The organization highlighted the unfinished work of the 2017 Land Commission of Inquiry, which aimed to address complex landholding issues and document communal and crown land ownership.
The proposed bill’s provision allowing an advance cash payment to an “interested and authorized person” has further deepened concerns. IDPADA-G argues this clause could be exploited to transfer land ownership without consultation or negotiation, stripping families and communities of protections over their property rights.
The organization’s statement comes amid growing accusations that African-Guyanese ancestral lands are being targeted under the government’s land acquisition agenda. Communities have pointed to past instances, such as the displacement of residents in Mocha, where seized lands were later allegedly allocated to politically connected individuals.
IDPADA-G is urging the government to reconsider its approach and focus instead on completing the unfinished task of land titling, which would secure property rights for vulnerable communities. “The bill grants inordinate power to a Minister of government and robs citizens of protection of their right to landownership,” the organization said.
As the debate on the bill looms in Parliament, IDPADA-G’s strong stance underscores the growing tensions over landownership rights in Guyana. African-Guyanese leaders and stakeholders are now calling for collective action to protect their ancestral lands, warning that the proposed amendments could pave the way for “legalized dispossession” under the guise of development.